The Rise of Robin
by DarkZero93
Summary: As Gotham City struggles to accept the Batman's existence, another vigilante joins the never ending battle for justice...one that calls himself Robin. Will Batman unravel the mystery of his new rival's identity?
1. Chapter 1

**The Rise of Robin**

According to the reports in Forbes and other leading economic publications, Gotham City was fast becoming one of the world's economic centers around which the rest of the world would circulate. Intellectuals speculated that within two years it would rival New York City.

As such, many corporate executive types such as Bruce Wayne, the city's most eligible bachelor, had made Gotham their main hub of operations.

The thing about executives was that they were usually greedy and sought to make a quick buck any way they could. They even resorted to underhanded and illegal schemes to make the money flow faster.

Such was the motivation behind tonight's meeting of the mob: quick cash.

A black limousine rolled around the corner, gleaming brightly in the nighttime lights of Gotham City. Inside of the limo were two of Gotham's newest CEO's and their group of hired thugs.

In an alley just off of an abandoned parking garage sat the men they were meeting. The old and worn down white van looked inconspicuous, but of course there were at least five men inside and all of them were ready for anything.

Because in Gotham, and especially at night, anything could happen.

The limo pulled into the alley, almost silent save for the barely audible purr of its engine and the soft sound of tires on asphalt.

When the two executives and their three guards climbed out of the vehicle, two men stepped out of the white van on the passenger side and driver side. Both were wearing thick coats to protect themselves against the cold of the autumn air.

For a while, they stood there. No one said a word. Then one of the executives said, "Do you have it?"

One of the men whistled and the van's back door opened. Two more men walk out, carrying a large trunk that wasn't too heavy, but carried valuable and stolen technology.

They set it down in front of the executives. At a gesture, one of the guards walked up to the trunk and opened it. The two CEO's looked the contents over, then one of them nodded.

"Everything looks to be in order," said one executive. He made a sign to another man that stood next to the limo. The guard nodded, picked up a briefcase from inside, and brought it over to the executive.

A bang from somewhere in the dark caught their attention. Several men drew their pistols from their belts.

"He's here," said someone.

"How did he find us?" someone else asked.

Glass shattered, and a blow to the head that sounded like a dull chink of metal on flesh and bone knocked one of the thugs out. Gunshots rang out in the general direction, but nothing else happened.

Another thug exchanged a worried glance with his compatriot before he started walking slowly toward the place where the shadows were thickest.

A long metal staff came out of nowhere and with three swift blows had the man on the ground, motionless.

The other thug fired his pistol at what he thought was a moving shadow, but it was only his mind playing tricks on him.

By this time, the executives were in the process of leaving, but somehow one of their guards had been taken out and their driver was unconscious.

The figure landed on top of one of them and began launching a torrent of blows against the executives and the other group. He moved like a flowing river and not one of the thugs could keep his eyes on him for too long.

It wasn't Batman. This guy was too fast to be Batman.

His staff whirled around them, knocking guns out of their hands, bruising shinbones and breaking fingers. Every strike seemed to lead to the next until each man was down and unconscious.

Once the job was finished, the last thing Robin did was signal the police. He expected they'd be here within five minutes as they had a few patrols nearby.

Robin would be long gone by then.

# # #

Seven minutes later, Batman surveyed the scene from a vantage point high above. The work was clean and efficient…something like what he would have done.

Whoever had done this had single-handedly broken up an exchange of contraband and handed the police a few more criminals to boot.

_This wasn't what I had in mind when I said I wanted to inspire people_, he thought, _but at least this person or people aren't those usual impersonators._

All of the thugs and the bosses were still breathing. Someone else was adhering to his own strict code of justice.

The only problem was, Batman had to track him down.

_(Note: This story is keeping with the Christopher Nolan style. I intend to make Robin realistic in the way he is presented, and you can expect conflict between him and Batman in the future.)_


	2. Chapter 2

**The Rise of Robin II**

Tim Drake ran his eyes over the newspaper clippings for the fortieth time, looking for connections that he knew were there.

Gotham City's own billionaire playboy, Bruce Wayne, was making an impact on the city's political scene and had managed to raise over seven million dollars in support of the GCPD.

At the same time, the mysterious avenger of the night known as Batman was making the work easier for the police.

Tim was certain that there was a connection between Bruce Wayne and Batman. He knew for a fact that Bruce Wayne knew the identity of the caped crusader, but that was all that he was able to discover.

With a bit more detective work, he was certain he'd have an answer.

# # #

"You did say that you wanted to inspire people, Master Wayne," Alfred said with raised eyebrows.

"I didn't want someone following in my exact footsteps, Alfred," said Bruce. They had very little data on this other vigilante that kept popping up. Even Batman couldn't track him.

"He's obviously not a criminal," Alfred said, "so why bother chasing him?"

"It's for his own good," Bruce replied. Under his breath he added, "Although if I can't track him he knows what he's doing."

"It's late, Master Wayne…you should turn in."

Bruce checked a nearby clock. "It's six in the morning."

"Exactly, and you've been up pursuing one of your newest allies for nearly seven hours." Alfred cleared his throat. "If he turns up, we'll know."

"We won't, and that's the problem."

"Your problem…not his," Alfred said with a smile.

# # #

Floyd checked the wind direction.

_South by southeast_, he observed. _Compensation will be easy._ He rested his rifle on the edge of the building. His target, a wealthy CEO who pissed off the wrong mob boss, was mingling among the patrons of a party he was hosting.

The man was standing next to his wife. She was a beautiful woman with long dark locks and gunmetal eyes. Her lips were a deep crimson, and around her neck was a locket that Floyd had seen somewhere before.

_Floyd's fingers closed around the locket that Diane was wearing. It was in the shape of a treble clef, as his wife was a lover of music. She enjoyed watching the Gotham Philharmonic Orchestra, just like Floyd did._

He shook his head to clear it. His target had moved, forcing Floyd to readjust his sights.

The target had short cut brown hair with light streaks of gray. It was obvious that he'd been around the block of life more than a few times. There were a few scars on his face from some encounter that only he knew about.

It was almost midnight. Time to make his move.

_Ten seconds._

Floyd curled his finger around the trigger.

_Four seconds._

He let out a deep breath to keep his aim steady.

_Three seconds._

_Two seconds._

_One second._

Floyd pulled the trigger.

# # #

"Drop the gun!" Gordon ordered the degenerate. He was holding a quivering woman in his arm with a .22 pistol pointed at her head.

"Forget it, Captain," the man said. "You know what I want. Until I get it, I'm not budging."

Gordon and the man exchanged a long hard stare, but eventually Gordon consented. "Look, I can't give you what you want…but I know you work for powerful individuals. We can work out a plea bargain!"

"Not good enough, Captain!"

"It's all we can offer!"

Suddenly, the man was pulled away from the woman at an extremely high velocity. He yelled as he vanished into the darkness. There was the sound of a short scuffle, and then the man appeared again hanging by his feet.

Gordon watched the man for a few minutes, but the unmistakable shape of Batman caught his eye beyond. He watched Gordon for a few seconds before he vanished. The GCPD had no hope of pursuing him, so it was best to let him go.

Back at the precinct, Gordon stood in his office staring out at Gotham City.

_Hard to believe…a city drowning in crime and corruption is saved by a masked vigilante who uses a bat for a symbol. A symbol of hope…shrouded in shadow and mystery…who would be that selfless?_

Gordon would never be able to understand the Batman's motivations, but now they had a new one to deal with.

The GCPD had gotten numerous reports about a so called 'Robin' character who was using a bird as his symbol.

_Why flying animals?_


	3. Chapter 3

**The Rise of Robin III**

Robin drew his cowl over his head as he examined the area from which the assassin's shot had been taken. It was across the street and above the penthouse where the party had been. The assassin had had a perfect shot.

_Given the level of precision and lack of collateral damage_, thought Robin, _this can only be the work of Deadshot, the mob's newest hitman._

Deadshot, aka Floyd Lawton, had been making a name for himself. Still, the only thing the GCPD knew about him was his name. They had no fingerprints or facial records…just like the Joker.

Tracking him down wouldn't be easy.

At that moment, Robin sensed movement behind him. He turned and found Batman standing twelve feet from him, staring him down.

"Who are you?" Batman demanded in his usual gruff voice.

"The press tends to call me Robin," the other replied, "but I don't really have a name. I suppose it'll do."

"I take it you're here for the same reason I am," Batman said.

Robin crossed his arms. "That all really depends on what you're here for. I'm looking for Deadshot."

"Deadshot's mine," said Batman. "Mimicking me is one thing, but you're getting in over your head."

"I'm not mimicking you, but you should have known that your actions would eventually inspire others." Robin paused. "Even you can't handle Gotham alone."

"That's for me to decide," said Batman.

Robin smirked, turned and jumped over the edge of the roof. Batman dashed forward to find him swinging over to an adjacent building.

When he was at the apex of his swing, Robin released the clamp that held his own personally built grappling claw into place. It was a piece of technology that had taken him months to perfect, but it wasn't failing him now. He used his cape to glide off to a nearby rooftop, albeit one that was lower than most, and found Batman standing on the roof waiting for him. He was closer this time.

Batman went for a leg sweep, but Robin cartwheeled backwards and pulled out his Bo staff, another piece of tech that he'd built using his genius level knowledge of such things.

Robin twirled the staff as Batman launched a series of rapid fist strikes. None of them got past Robin's guard, but Robin never struck back. Instead, he rolled to the left and smashed a ventilation unit. Thick smoke spread over the area, concealing Robin as he made his quick escape.

# # #

Batman ran through the smoke to the opposite end of the building where he knew Robin would be making his exit, but by the time he got there Robin was gone.

_Well trained in martial arts and with his own manner for making quick escapes. This kid does know what he's doing._

It looked as thought the job of hunting down Robin just got a lot harder.

Batman activated his new vision lenses, designed to track fleeing targets, and made one more scan of the area.

The kid was so fast he was almost invisible.

# # #

"We've cordoned off the entire district," Gordon told his men. "No one gets in or out."

"Is Batman here?" Someone asked.

"I don't think so," Gordon said. He looked up at the building where they'd cornered the thugs. "These guys work for the mob?"

"Yeah, but they aren't professionals," the officer said, looking up at the building himself.

"Commissioner!"

One of the junior officers came running up from somewhere nearby.

"They want to talk to you."

# # #

Deadshot set his rifle up on the building adjacent to the Gotham City Bank. The mob's hirelings were at least eighty meters away from him, but were on top of an under-construction building near the harbor.

_Easy targets._

He targeted the thugs through the scope. They looked scared, fidgety.

Floyd's finger curled around the trigger…and squeezed.

# # #

Robin watched as the men on the rooftop fell. Three men just dropped dead, one after the other, but no gunshots were heard.

_Silencers._

There was a sound of movement behind him. He ducked below a flying fist and launched a kick into the gut of one of the thugs that had found him.

_The mob still has men in the area._

Five thugs surrounded him on the rooftop, looking confused.

"Who the hell are you?" One of them asked.

Robin didn't answer, but extended his Bo staff and twirled it. He followed by lunging at the thugs, knocking two of them down with one swing from his staff.

One of them threw another punch. Robin knocked his fist aside and slammed his staff into the man twice, finishing with a kick to the legs that knocked the man to the ground.

Two other men jumped at Robin, but immediately went flying back into a ventilation unit. Robin twirled and smashed his way through the men until each was unconscious.

Afterward, with no other reason to remain, he jumped from the rooftop.

# # #

Batman swooped down upon Deadshot immediately after he'd taken his shots. He wasn't fast enough to save the targets, but he could still take the assassin.

Deadshot turned and launched a fast flurry of strikes, but Batman countered his strikes and slammed him in the gut with two fists, following up with a knee to the groin and an elbow to the face.

The assassin was knocked out immediately.


	4. Chapter 4

**The Rise of Robin IV**

_How long has it been? Not long enough. They think I'll break, but I won't…I'm just biding my time…waiting for the inevitable._

Joker had been sitting his cell for months now. Nothing to do but watch the walls. _And I could swear they're watching me back…_

It made no difference. He was merely waiting for what he knew was coming.

A plate of food was pushed into his cell under the door. Joker stared at it for a few minutes, as if daring it to move. _I swear I'm not touching their food again. _It usually made him sick, but it felt like the food was making him hallucinate…or maybe he was really going crazier.

# # #

"I told you Deadshot was mine," said Bruce Wayne into the communicator, using Batman's gravelly voice.

Robin had contacted him over an untraceable connection. That hadn't stopped Bruce from trying to trace it though.

"So you said," Robin replied. "What of the men he was sent to kill?"

"I don't know," Bruce said. "It doesn't make much of a difference anyway."

There was a pause. Then Robin said, "They were mob hirelings, just grunts, but the bosses wanted them dead. That obviously meant that they knew something they shouldn't have."

Bruce didn't reply.

"I guess the question is what," Robin went on. "I'm looking into it." With that he cut the connection.

"Master Wayne," said Alfred from behind him. "Perhaps Robin is right. There may be something bigger going on here than just Mister Lawton and a few mafia grunts."

Bruce stood and stretched. "Maybe so. I need to pay Lucius a visit, and I guess I'll take the night off."

"You're actually going to get some sleep for once?" Alfred asked.

Laughing, Bruce walked out of the Batcave.

# # #

"You look tired, Mister Wayne," said Lucius Fox. "Late night?"

"The usual, Fox," Bruce replied.

"I'm not surprised," Lucius opened the doors of the WayneTech applied sciences garage. The usual sight greeted his eyes. Several tumblers were parked against the walls; boxes of tech were stacked almost all the way to the high ceiling.

"Anything new, Lucius?" Bruce asked the man.

"I'm glad you asked, Mister Wayne." He directed Wayne over to a small desk whereupon was a bundle of small glowing disc shaped devices. "These gizmos are a little different from the usual toys."

"What do they do?"

"When they're thrown," Lucius explained, "they detonate an electromagnetic pulse within a four meter radius of their location. Like a miniature power surge."

Bruce picked up one of the discs and examined it. "That's handy." He threw it. The disc it a nearby pillar and detonated with a silent explosion. Bruce felt it though.

"Now," Lucius went on, "the detonation can be immediate, or it can be set to respond from a signal. It latches onto almost any surface with a very strong adhesive."

Bruce looked back at Lucius. "I'll keep that in mind."

# # #

Robin punched a few buttons on his wrist, and the conversations in the bar across the street came into focus. He adjusted the frequency until he found the one he wanted.

"…And the man just let himself get caught," one man was saying. The man's name was Terrence Jamison, one of the mob's low-level goons.

"You sure it was Floyd?" the other man, named Dom Quince, said.

"Yeah," Terrence said. "Thing is, they say he's mentally unstable, so they threw his ass in Arkham."

Dom sighed. "Can't say I blame him. He always told me it was his wife's death that made him go crazy."

"There might have been a method to his madness," said Terrence.

"And?" Dom said. "What about the guys he offed? Any details about them?"

"Can't really say," Terrence said. "The boss wanted them dead, and they're dead. Deadshot did his part."

There was a pause, and then Dom said, "They must've known something."

"Think it was something about that problem over at Ace Chemicals," Terrence suggested. "No way to be certain though."

Robin turned off his communicator and retreated back to the rooftops. The knowledge he'd gained wasn't much, but it was something to go on at least.

# # #

A massive explosion shook the whole of Arkham Asylum. From the exterior, a bomb had been planted in just the right spot so that Deadshot's cell would be busted open. Joker's cell had been right next to Deadshot's however, allowing him to slip through the hole and onto the streets beyond.

"Floyd," said Joker. "I didn't think you and your friends had it in you."

"What the hell are you doing out?" Floyd asked, bewildered.

"Well, you see," Joker explained, "my cell was right next to yours and your friends bomb made too big a hole."

The sound of sirens reached their ears.

With that, the both of them fled into the night._ Floyd's friends must have something big planned. Maybe catastrophic. Let's see if I can top them._

_**(Author's Note: Okay, so the breakout wasn't very well executed, but that isn't what's important about this chapter. Also, I know it's short, but I never was one for long and tedious chapters on my stories. I prefer to say what I'm going to say for that chapter and end it. Simpler that way.)**_


	5. Chapter 5

**The Rise of Robin V**

Gordon switched off the bat signal.

"We've got a situation here and you're about the only person I can turn to."

Batman, almost invisible in the shadows, watched as the experienced police commissioner started pacing.

"I know that the Joker's loose," Batman then said with his low growl. "Have you gotten any more leads on Deadshot or Robin?"

"None," Gordon replied, "and right now I'm willing to welcome Robin's help." He looked at Batman. "You know the clown better than anyone. You know the risk he poses to Gotham. If he-"

"I know," interjected Batman. "I'm not sure if it's worth the risk. Robin's a kid. He may know what he's doing but he doesn't know who he's dealing with."

"Well," Gordon said, "maybe he'll go for Deadshot, or…"

When he looked back into the shadows, Batman had disappeared. By now, Gordon had grown used to it.

# # #

There was nothing unusual about the situation at Ace Chemicals, but Robin did find a rather prominent individual at the building when he went to investigate at around eight-thirty in the evening.

He had come to search for signs of what incident had occurred several days ago, but he hadn't expected to find a group of men and women standing outside the building having a discussion.

Another man walked up, one that Robin recognized, even from this distance.

"Ladies and gentlemen," said one Roman Sionis, owner of the steel mill just outside Gotham. "I can assure you that everything is fine here at Ace Chemicals. The company now belongs to the Sionis estate as of yesterday, and I am here personally to make sure that repairs are underway."

"Mister Sionis," said one of the women. "Can you tell us exactly what happened?"

"We had a slight chemical leak in one of the lower tanks and it may have contaminated the water supply, but I assure you that the water mains in this area have been sealed off."

Robin could now see cameras flashing. Why the reporters were here at Ace Chemicals this late was beyond him.

"Now," Sionis continued. "It's late, and I'm sure that you all have better places to be. Thank you."

With that, Roman walked back toward the Ace Chemicals building, even as the reporters hurled more questions at him.

Robin watched as Sionis vanished into the building, deciding that it was time for a little detective work.

# # #

"You don't really believe that Gotham's going to buy that cheap lie, do you?"

Back in his office, Roman Sionis looked over at the figure sitting in the shadows. Grisly looking green hair hung down to his shoulders, and his face was covered in war paint reminiscent of only one person.

The Joker.

"I've done what I can," replied Sionis. "The less Gotham knows, the better it'll be for everyone."

"Come now, Sionis," Joker said. "Half the fun is in watching the people panic. Gordon and his cops aren't busy enough."

Sionis sighed. "I'm not in the mood for it, clown. What's the next phase of your plan?"

"Tying up loose ends." The clown stood and walked over to Sionis. "Let's take a walk down to the chemical room and see what's happening." He walked out the door. Sionis reluctantly followed him.

The room was lined with gargantuan tubs, within which sat frothing greenish-brown liquids. The chemicals were a viscous substance that Joker himself had created for some unknown purpose.

Roman only knew that the Joker was paying him well for the chance to use his newest purchase for this task.

_I've never really been one to play on the good side of the law_, thought Sionis.

# # #

Robin crept through the upper levels of the Ace Chemicals containment chamber, being forced to balance on a metal beam, as beneath him were the tubs of acidic chemicals that hissed and bubbled menacingly.

On a walkway down below, he could see Roman Sionis walking with the Joker. This surprised Tim, but he didn't bother to show his surprise. Not that it would have mattered anyhow.

"Bring me up to speed, Joker," said Sionis. "What are you planning to do with these chemicals?"

"All in due time, Sionis," replied Joker. "You see, that's the punch line of the joke. Can't go spoiling it yet, can we?"

"I just want to know what my investment is contributing towards."

Joker laughed. "It's keeping your steel mill from crashing into the ground. That's all you need to know for now."

Sionis stopped and looked down at one of the vats of chemicals. "What exactly is this stuff anyway?"

"A vicious acid that would melt most forms of metal," was all that the Joker said.

As Sionis and the Joker put distance between themselves and Robin's hiding spot, the latter dropped onto the walkway and promptly jumped over its edge.

Sionis glanced back over his shoulder nervously.

"What, uh…what of the Batman?"

Joker cackled at this. "He can come if he wants, I'd enjoy the distraction."

Robin crept slowly beneath the two of them, remaining in the shadows. Batman needed to know about this.

_First, to deal with them._

Robin pressed a few keys on his wrist that would send out a warning message to Commissioner Gordon and his precinct. He'd hacked into the systems several days ago for just that very reason.

Once the message was away, Robin used his grapple gun and launched himself up to a walkway that was a mere three meters above the one that Sionis and Joker occupied. This walkway was just a little further to the right than theirs however, and would give him an ample opportunity to get the jump on Sionis and the clown.

Once he was in a good enough position, Robin jumped and landed on the Joker. He readied his Bo staff as Sionis launched a punch. Robin knocked his fist aside and planted his foot in the man's gut.

"Ooh, so the boy wonder has come to play," said Joker as he pulled out a knife. He then whistled, and the walkway collapsed beneath them.

Henchmen poured in from adjacent rooms, until there were at least twenty of them surrounding Robin, Joker, and Sionis.

Sionis was the first to come forward, who launched a series of rapid fist strikes at Robin. Dodging these, Robin slammed his staff into the man three times, twice in his legs and once in the face, knocking him on his back.

Joker and two henchmen jumped at him from behind, Joker holding his knife high.

Robin twirled his staff and sidestepped the Joker, tripping him up while knocking another thug out with two rapid strikes from his Bo staff to the man's groin and head.

The room became a chaotic site as Robin jumped among the goons and took them down one by one.

Joker threw his knife at Robin, which sliced him across the arm, but Robin barely noticed it as he jumped at the clown and slammed his Bo staff across the side of his head.

The clown laughed as he dropped to the floor.

Within minutes, everyone in the room except Robin was unconscious. Robin was exhausted however, and the sirens could only just be heard approaching the building.

He didn't have much time to escape the premises, but he'd already planned out his escape route.

# # #

"Commissioner," said one reporter, "do you care to comment on what the GCPD uncovered last night at Ace Chemicals?"

"Get out of my sight!" Ordered Gordon. The woman was undeterred.

"What about Roman Sionis, owner of Gotham's steel mill," the woman exclaimed. "What details regarding his arrest?"

"Listen, Miss…"

"Vale," said the woman.

Gordon had heard of her. Vicki Vale was Gotham's newest journalist, determined to get the truth on every story she pursued. She'd managed to corner Gordon as he walked into the GCPD early the next morning.

"Look, Miss Vale," Gordon said, trying to keep his composure. "I can't comment on the arrest of Roman Sionis, or on anything else that occurred last night. The only thing that I can say is that the Joker is once again off the streets."

"For how long, Commissioner?" Vale inquired, still pushing. "And what of the one who gave you the tip, this…Robin character? Is he an accomplice of the Batman?"

Gordon walked into the building, ignoring the reporter's questions that followed him the whole way. The woman had a long way to go before she'd actually get anywhere in the world of journalism, but she was well on her way.

Roman Sionis occupied one of the holding cells, as he had all night. He nodded at Commissioner Gordon as he walked up to the bars.

"Commissioner?"

"You were found in the company of the Joker," Gordon said, getting straight to the point. "Care to explain?"

Sionis opened his mouth, and then chuckled. "It's, um, sort of a complicated thing as of right now. He's back in Arkham, right?"

Gordon sat down in a chair that was nearby. "You can try to change the subject all you like, but I'm not walking away from here until I know exactly why you were found unconscious in the same room as the Joker."

For a moment, Sionis was quiet. Then he said, "You know, Gordon…business deals are rather complicated, aren't they? We businessmen don't really care who we do business with…so long as we can protect our own investments."

"You're talking about the Sionis Steel Mill," said Gordon.

Sionis nodded. "It's not exactly in the best condition financially…and neither am I." He paused, twiddling his thumbs. "I'll tell you everything I can…from the beginning."


	6. Chapter 6

**The Rise of Robin VI**

A large shadow swooped over Floyd Lawton as he lined up his shot. It tackled into him, knocking him to the ground and pinning him there by his throat.

"End of the line, Deadshot," growled the Batman's menacing voice.

"Not yet," the other replied.

There was an explosion from somewhere behind that sent Batman flying over the edge of the roof. He quickly extended his cape and activated the charge to stiffen the cloth. With that, he glided over to the next rooftop and, once there, grappled back to the other rooftop.

He expected to find Deadshot gone, but instead found him lying facedown. Robin was crouched on a billboard nearby.

"I have some important information for you," Robin said.

"Then make it fast," replied Batman.

"Roman Sionis made a deal with the Joker and tried to lace Gotham's water supply with toxic chemicals from the Ace Chemicals plant." Robin paused. "Sionis is in custody and the clown's back in Arkham."

Batman was aware of this. "What's Sionis's story?"

"Gordon knows," Robin said. Then he was gone.

Glancing up at the sky, Batman noticed the bat signal lighting up the sky. Looked as though Gordon wanted to speak to him anyway.

# # #

"Sionis told us everything," Gordon said. "Sionis Steel Mill is about to collapse, so he took the Joker's offer on the spot. The clown offered a massive amount of green. We expect it to be in the amount of ten million."

"I take it you seized all of it?" Batman asked.

Gordon shook his head. "The money was counterfeit. Sionis still doesn't know that little detail. The worst part of it is that we have to clean out the Gotham water supply."

"Have there been any casualties yet?"

"One hundred and fifty-seven," replied Gordon. "What of Deadshot?"

Batman dropped a bound and gagged Floyd Lawton at Gordon's feet. "Neutralized."

"Finally," said Gordon. "It seems like we're winning."

Batman was already gone.

# # #

"Good evening, Gotham. This is Vicki Vale, reporting live from outside Sionis Steel Mill. In a few minutes, the CEO of Wayne Enterprises, Bruce Wayne himself, will be live onstage to explain his company's recent actions."

As if on cue, Bruce Wayne stepped up on to the stage at that moment.

"As of today," Wayne began, "Sionis Steel Mill is now a part of Wayne Enterprises. Due to the financial crisis that the original proprietor had incurred-"

Roman Sionis sat watching Wayne deliver his speech in utter disbelief. That was it. Sionis Steel Mill was no longer his, and as such, his future had become uncertain. The steel mill had been the only thing he still had of his parent's legacy. He smashed the television in his room with a baseball bat.

_So that was how it was going to be?_

"I guess Wayne Enterprises needs a little of the same thing I got," Sionis said to himself. There was only one way he could do this.

If Wayne was going to destroy the only thing that he held dear, then perhaps Wayne himself needed to be destroyed.


End file.
